I review tech for a living - these 5 gadgets topped my list in 2025
From the best folding phone on the market to a nifty E Ink notepad, here's all the tech that stood out to me the most this year
š¤³ I tested a lot of gadgets throughout 2025
š I tried out all sorts of stuff, from cutting-edge foldables to smart glasses
šŖ® Iāve combed through it all to find my favorites
š Here are my 5 favorite gadgets from 2025
Itās time to look back at 2025 from a unique perspective. My job allows me to go hands-on with all the bleeding-edge gadgets and innovations you can think of, and Iāve been fortunate enough to become friends with some of the folks behind these products. Itās always fun to see how a certain year will play out in the technology world, and 2025 was no disappointment.
From cutting-edge smartphones to AI-infused glasses and headsets, there was plenty to get excited about in 2025. Personally, I found five devices in particular that resonated deeply with me.
My qualifications for a stand-out gadget of the year are pretty simple. It has to stand out from the crowd, and it has to excite me enough to the point that I want to use it every day. These five gadgets did exactly that.
My 5 favorite gadgets from 2025
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
There were a lot of smartphones that came out this year, and the one that impressed me the most is the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Samsung knocked it out of the park with this foldable. Not only is it shockingly thin and light, but itās also incredibly fast and has two gorgeous screens. It feels like youāre using a normal phone when itās closed, and when you open it, you have a huge 8-inch canvas for multitasking, watching videos, reading e-books, and more. Itās the folding phone that made folding phones feel more ānormalā than ever before.
Starting price: $1,999.99
Where to buy: Samsung / Amazon / AT&T / Best Buy / Verizon / Walmart
Ray-Ban Meta Glasses (Gen 2)
I finally got to try out a pair of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses this year while on a trip to St. Petersburg, Florida for a country music festival. I recorded a bunch of footage using the glassesā cameras to capture y perspective on the festivities, and I fell in love with how easy it was to record what I could on the fly. Itās also great being able to ask Meta AI about what Iām looking at if I want to learn about the world around me, and play music without needing headphones. The second-generation glasses have already become a staple in my everyday carry, even though Iāve had them for less than two weeks.
Starting price: $379
Where to buy: Amazon / Best Buy / Target / Walmart
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Iāve been a loyal Apple Watch user for years, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 has hooked me for even more years to come. Sure, the upgrades arenāt as ground-breaking as some would hope, but the extra display room and extended battery life have been a big improvement for me over the Ultra 2. Backed by an extensive suite of health features, the same great titanium design, and safety features like Emergency SOS via satellite, itās my favorite smartwatch of the entire year by a long shot.
Starting price: $799
Where to buy: Amazon / AT&T / Best Buy / Verizon / Walmart
Sony WH-1000XM6
There isnāt a pair of over-ear headphones quite like the Sony WH-1000XM6. While the name is as horrendous as every pair that came before them from Sony, the XM6s deliver the best blend of sound quality, noise cancellation, spatial audio performance, and battery life that weāve tested all year. Now with a more compact case and a familiar lightweight design, these headphones are the best you can get. Theyāre the closest to perfection youāll find on the market, which have earned them a permanent spot in my bag.
Price: $460
Where to buy: Sony / Amazon / Best Buy / Target / Walmart
Whoop MG
Iām a huge fan of Whoop, the screen-less fitness tracker that keeps tabs on your strain, recovery, and other health metrics as you go about your day. This year, the new Whoop MG arrived, delivering even longer battery life, ECG recordings, blood pressure insights, and more. Itās an even more powerful version than the standard Whoop 5.0, which comes with a slew of upgrades over the previous Whoop 4.0. The companion app remains one of the most insightful and intuitive for understanding your health, and its ability to operate in the background makes wearing it feel like wearing any other accessory, far less of a commitment than a traditional smartwatch.
Starting price: $239/year
Where to buy: Whoop / Amazon / Best Buy
What was your favorite gadget of the year? Let me know in the comment section below.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. Heās been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.